Meet Mischa Lampert

For those of you who don’t Mischa Lampert, I got the honor of interviewing and introducing her to you. WWW.MISCHALAMPERT.COM

1.When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as an entrepreneur/ designer?

The minute I realized I didn’t want to work for anybody else. I didn’t really have a choice, I’d be horrible working for anyone, designing is the only thing I know how to do.

2. When/if did you land your first internship and what was the most valuable thing you learned from this experience?

I never interned, I moved away from home and had a string of lucky encounters and figured out a balance between my creative projects and a commercially viable business.

3. What was your first job out of college, and how did you land that position?

I was never big on school, I started knitting caps when I was 17 to hide a short haircut and when I moved to London started to sell them. My line now is what evolved from that, so it’s been one long and winding road.

4. If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career what would it be?

I might not have used my name for my company, believe it or not I actually get quite shy about it.

5. What was the biggest rookie mistake you made when just starting out?

That I didn’t know what I was doing, I had no clue. I was so incredibly lucky- everything just fell into place and I learned along the way.

6.What role do you think social media plays in fashion today?

Oh it’s huge one, basically free branding for anyone who wants to put in the effort, and now also sales so we’re definitely changing as a company along with it. Plus it’s still shocking to see all the pictures people post in our hats using our hashtags, we love to see them out in the world.

7. What is your favorite part about being a designer?

Sleeping in, making my own schedule, essentially. That’s the privileged of having your own business. And things never get boring. Our one collection a year cycle means that we’re always so deeply involved in whichever part is happening at the moment that it’s a very exciting process.

8. How do you want women to feel when wearing your accessories?

Proud, we make everything by hand- spinning, crocheting, the whole thing- and it’s made locally by a group of young creative people so hopefully you feel proud being a part of what we do. And of course warm! Hopefully it perfectly matches whatever else you’re wearing. Accessories should be fun and compliment your clothes.

9.Who have been your biggest mentors in this industry and what is the best advice they have ever given you?

Definitely my old art teacher Michael Betta and then Shirin Guild, she taught me everything there is to know when I first started off in London.

10. What advice do you give women who are looking to enter the creative industry?

Marry rich, it makes things easier! Or just make something you love and the rest will fall into place.

11. What are some of your biggest fears that you face when starting your own line?

Nothing about my line scared me, it was more about having it as a career. That I would be able to sustain a life from it.

12. Where do you go for inspiration when working on a new design?

I desperately love travel in general, I cannot say one particular thing or place inspires me. It’s more the energy I have going to new places or returning to places I love, and how reinvigorated I am when I come back to my studio that really gets the whole design process going.

13. How do you make yourself stand out amongst a very saturated, industry? Besides catching my eye… lol

I don’t look at what anyone else is doing. It can be paralyzing. I just make what feels new and the collection evolves, new colors that somehow feel like they go perfectly together whereas last year they weren’t even on our radar. Our basis is a classic beanie but our oversized proportions are our signature and I think that’s what stands out. The hand spun wool and the quality of the merino, and of course the xl pom poms. That’s what people love.